An A/U (Arent' they all really) that has Draco going into Gryffindor and Ron into Slytherin. Shaking things up a bit.
Harry stood in line with the others waiting to see where they would wind up. The hat was going through each new first year in alphabetical order which meant harry would have some time to observe things.
Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones went into Hufflepuff. Lavender Brown went to Gryffindor. Hermione Granger went to Gryffindor as well. A few others were sorted before Neville Longbottom went to Gryffindor to his surprise it seemed like.
"Yeah watch where this slimy git winds up." Ron whispered into Harry's ear as Draco Malfoy strutted to the stool. A proud smirk on his face as the hat was lowered onto his head. When the hat did not immediately call out a house everyone started murmuring and whispers among the tables occurred. Especially as Draco seemed to becoming quite angry. Eventually the hat shouted out, "YOU'LL be in Gryffindor and bloody well like it! NEXT!"
"I refuse to go into that house." Draco protested. "My father will hear about this!"
"Mr Malfoy the decision of the hat is final and unimpeachable. Your only options at this point are to go home or to go into Gryffindor." Minerva McGonnagal crossly stated like she was trying to chew on broken glass.
Draco sulked and reluctantly moved towards the table with the crimson and gold. Ron was staring in abject horror at the sight. Harry frowned as he was not entirely sure he wanted to go into Gryffindor anymore.
His turn under the hat came and he walked up. The hat had barely touched his hair when he heard it scream out "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Wait, it didn't even touch my head." Harry protested.
"I don't need to. You simply radiate the aura of a true Gryffindor. Brave, daring, with nerve and honor to spare." The hat replied testily.
Harry looked at Professor McGonnagal and realized he would have about as much success arguing about this as Malfoy did. He walked over to the Gryffindor table to sit between Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Draco was sulking at the end of the table with a space around him as if no one wanted to be close to him.
Once the tumult about Harry's sorting had settled the process continued. They soon reached Ronald Weasley. The hat again sat on his head for an extended time. Ron reached up to rip the hat off only for it to yell, "SLYTHERIN!"
The two red headed twins at the Gryffindor table started yelling and screaming invectives at the hat, only for Professor McGonnagal to look pointedly at them. They ignored her and doubled their volume.
Dumbledore stood up with his voice a thunderous roar "THAT WILL BE ENOUGH!" Everyone in the hall fell silent.
Ron stood still looking dejected and forlorn. His robes had already taken the green trim of the Slytherin House.
"Well Mr Weasley, what are you waiting for. Join your housemates." McGonnagal ordered in the complete stillness of the moment.
"But ma'am." Ron tried to begin.
"Mr Weasley I will not repeat myself. You have only two options, go to your house or wait in the headmaster's office to go home." Minerva said it a bit more sympathetically than she had spoken to Malfoy but still firmly.
Ron took a deep breath and looked longingly at the Gryffindor table before slowly trudging to the Slytherin benches. The room silently watching him go.
McGonnagal cleared her throat and continued the sorting. There was no more contentious decisions by the hat and soon everyone was eating
…...
Draco was sulking in the corner of the Gryffindor common room while everyone else tried to get settled in. The Weasley twins were arguing with their brother Percy about the sorting and promising to cause trouble until their brother was rescued from Slytherin's clutches. Percy was trying to explain there was nothing that could be done, unfortunately the twins did not seem to want to hear that.
Harry was feeling very lost as he had liked Ron and did not think he was the sort who would have gone into Slytherin. What was even more confusing was seeing Draco wearing the crimson and gold of Gryffindor. He was among the last people Harry would have picked to go into this house.
The only other person he had any connection to in the house was Hermione Granger and she was sitting in the corner reading a book unconcerned by all of this it seemed like. He took a deep breath and approached her.
"Hello. Do you mind if I join you?"
She closed the book looking at him sympathetically, "No. I'm sorry your friend got sorted into another house. There are no rules against you still remaining his friend you know."
Sitting down Harry frowned, "But it's highly frowned upon from what I gather."
Hermione shrugged, "There does seem to be a rather foolish rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin houses. It goes back to their founders who had a falling out as well."
Harry nodded absently. "Oh. I didn't know that."
"It was in Hogwarts a History." She said sliding the book across to him.
Harry sighed, "Oh. Okay."
She looked at him, "Do you want to be friends?"
Harry smiled, "I'd like that."
"Good. I don't have very many friends my own age at home so I will apologize if I am too precocious, my father says I'm eleven going on thirty." She said quickly.
Harry was just happy to have any friend so nodded with a smile.
…...
In the dorm that night the boys all settled in their beds with little chatter as Draco's sneering countenance chilled their mood. He kept muttering to himself even after the curtains had been closed. The next morning as the students made their way down to breakfast they ran into the Slytherins coming up from below. Ron was nursing a black eye and barely glanced at harry as two large older boys shuffled him along. Draco had gone to approach the two boys who had been beside him on the train.
"Bugger off Malfoy" The taller one Harry recognized as Goyle sneered.
"Yeah. We don't like your kind." The shorter fat one said as he shoved Draco backwards.
"I'll have you flogged for that!" Draco growled.
Snape approached them. "Is there a problem Mr Goyle?"
"No sir. Just a Gryffindor Gadfly." he chuckled.
Snape looked down his long hooked nose at Draco, "I see. Perhaps you should find some other people to associate with."
"But Professor Snape. I'm a Slytherin at heart. I know I am." Draco begged whining.
Pulling Draco's tie up to expose the colors Snape smugly said, "It would appear not."
Harry had been bullied far too many times to allow this to continue without him at least saying something. He stepped in front of Snape, with Hermione following him, "There's no need to be rude to him."
Draco and the Slytherins looked at harry with a variety of expressions, Snape looked sourly at Harry while the two Slytherins grinned like Dudley and his friends did before they played Harry hunting.
Draco though got angry and turned on Harry, "I don't need your help Potter." He then stuck his head up and strode into the great hall.
"If there is no further drama, perhaps we could have breakfast now?" Snape said shooing the two Slytherins into the hall ahead of him.
Hermione said, "Well that was rather ungrateful."
Harry shrugged and led the way into the hall. This was not shaping up to be a good year.
Review Responses
SvenHpotterfan: But it is its own story. Under the main list of my stories you may find it.
Sparky40SW: Thank you. I hope so too. At some point.
OfficerDonNZ: Might be the subject of discussion. Lol. Yeah the suggestion was a good one..
Dennisud: It will end like all wars do, with fire, and pain and rebuilding. Beyond that I have no idea.